Raceboard Sail

Raceboard Sail

Raceboard is back! Forget waiting for a Force 3-4 before you consider windsurfing, get out there in the light stuff, get training and get competing on those long boards. A whole new scene is emerging and this summer the longboarders are taking over.

We are hoping this year to see the return of windsurfers from a decade ago who ‘gave up’ on racing when they didn’t make the grade on the IMCO. We are also picking up sailors from the Techno and RSX classes when size or a full time commitment to the sport just isn’t possible (Uni, proper work etc).

Remember you will be competitve enough on any old longboard and sail so no need to splash the cash. You can also borrow/rent a longboard from a variety of sources. Go to the Raceboard website for more about this and to find your nearest event.

Around Hayling Marathon classic 80′s look. It’s back for 2009 on Good Friday (10th April).

Cool is back

UKWA action in Derwent Water

Tushingham are right behind this revolution and have brought out a very reasonably priced, very competitive sail in time for the start of the season. It was designed by Ken Black with the help of UK longboarder Rob Kent.

Over to Rob: “Tushingham had the Lightning sail which was used a lot on the raceboard scene but it couldn’t compete in the very light stuff particularly against specialist, inland sails. So we wanted to create a sail with the widest possible wind range but with an emphasis on low end performance.

The sail has a tight, hooked leech and a full shaped profile from the foot to the top batten but then crank on the adjustable downhaul and it looks and behaves like an open leech freeride/wave sail. Of course, being a Tushingham, it also had to be easy to use and easy to rig.

I worked hard with Ken Black over the winter and after three prototypes we went into production but no doubt I’ll be giving feedback to Ken all season on how it performs. I’ve got to do my best to beat the likes of Mark Carney, Chris Gibson, Tom Naylor and, of course, Graham Fuller!”

Robert Kent taking a cruise

It’s all happening in Christchurch

When we saw the sail, the first thing we noticed was the narrower luff tube, especially for a race sail. So being inquisitive folk, we asked Ken Black to explain:

Ken: “The reason for a wide luff sleeve is to fair in the windward side of the sail. The windward side is the least important side (aerodynamically) as faster acceleration of air flow over the leeward side is what creates lift or forward drive in the vertical plane of a windsurfer).

Even 60 knots is a relatively low speed compared with an aircraft so the effect of filling in what is, even with a wide sleeve, a small section of the windward area has a minimal effect.

At the speeds a raceboard reaches in higher winds the effect of the wide sleeve is so small as to be undetectable. In light winds the wide sleeve has no aerodynamic advantage and the extra weight is detrimental to performance so a narrow sleeve with a smooth leeward surface and powerful high lift foil shape is easily the best option.”

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